


Toy Soldiers

by rinthegreat



Series: Stories from the Front Lines [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - War, Freeishform, Hurt/Comfort, Inaccurate Military Tactics, M/M, Soldiers, SouHaru Week, a bit literal, i've been listening to Marianas Trench almost nonstop for weeks now can you tell?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 09:30:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5370311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinthegreat/pseuds/rinthegreat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shit hit the fan on roughly fifty percent of their missions; this was nothing unusual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Toy Soldiers

**Author's Note:**

> SouHaru Week 2015 day 5: hurt/comfort
> 
> This isn't them fighting in an actual war, because reasons, but I pictured the terrain as the Band of Brothers episodes in the winter with the town and the forest and the snow and the medic. Kinda. Possibly will turn this into a universe made up of small one shots if there's interest.

            The air rang out with the sound of gunshots, filled with smoke as the bullets turned the walls to rubble.  Haru stayed where he was, hands covering ears as he waited for backup.  He glanced over at the other pillar where Rin was taking cover.  The redhead was grinning wide.  Adrenaline junkie.

            The fastest in their squad, they’d been sent in ahead to plant explosives.  It had gone mostly well until a sleeping guard woke up and noticed Haru as he crept by.  Then the shit hit the fan.

            Haru sighed a puff of visible air and leaned his head back against the wall, fingers shoved firmly in his ears.  Shit hit the fan on roughly fifty percent of their missions; this was nothing unusual.  Soon enough Mikoshiba would send in the cavalry, led by Sousuke, who would provide enough cover for Haru and Rin to get back to the group.

            It was taking longer than normal, not the longest they’d had to wait before, and Haru could tell Rin was getting impatient.  He turned his head as he felt the restlessness roll off the redhead in waves.  And his stomach dropped.

            He knew that stance.

            “Don’t you dare!”  He shouted, voice lost to the gun fire.  All he had was a hand gun, nothing that would provide cover from semi and full automatics.

            Rin could read his face, even if he couldn’t hear his voice.  The redhead threw him another grin, manic.  He gave Haru a thumbs off, and before Haru could stop him, he was off like a shot.  A flash of red flying out from behind the pillar.

            The response was nearly immediate; Rin only got a second head start.

            Bullets followed Rin, kicking up dirt and snow as they chased him, hot on his heels.  He had given Haru a chance, but Haru could only watch, frozen.  Idiot.  Rin was a royal idiot.  He’d done this a few times before, but Haru thought he’d gotten over his heroic streak after –

            “Rin!”  The shout made its way across the snow covered field, even over the gunfire.  Haru felt it deep in his bones.  Knew that pitch almost as well as his own.

            Time slowed as the redhead tripped, a color not unlike his hair spilling from his ankle.  The bullets narrowed in on him, too close, stopped only as an echoing shot rang out, silencing one gun.

            Sousuke made it in time, Haru could feel it in his bones.  He reached down and scooped up Rin before any more lingering pellets could bite him.  The area was still showering with shots, Sousuke faster than their own sniper.  The bullets almost seemed to part around the larger man as he turned and ran back towards the woods, Rin safe in his arms, and Haru finally fell back into his body.

            The enemy soldiers were moving, now aware of the sniper in their midst and the squad mostly hidden in the trees.  Haru needed to move fast.  He reached down and set off the charges near his feet.  He had seconds.

            Bullets didn’t follow him immediately as he burst out of cover like they’d followed Rin, but soon enough he could feel them slamming into the ground around him.  His feet pounded, faster and faster, as he made it through the trees, shot after shot silencing the machine guns behind him.

            A rumbling shook the earth, and Haru pitched forward three feet before the tree line.  The gunshots behind him stuttered to a halt as the charges blew.

            Haru stumbled to his feet and into the trees, tilting like a drunk as the ground shook again.  Someone gave him a pat on the shoulder as he made his way deeper into the forest, past the first line still shooting and the second line prepared to back them up.  The medical tent was all the way in the back, only protected from behind by the rear guards.

            His hands were shaking, adrenaline aftershocks, as he pushed aside the tent.  Inside was much to be expected.  Makoto was fretting even as he scolded, walking this way and that way around Rin as he cut off the blood flow to his ankle.  Rin was conscious though, smiling, and Haru scowled at him.  Bastard.

            Sousuke hovered off to the side, glaring at the dirt beneath the makeshift bed, arm crossed in front of him.  He looked up when Haru entered, expression relaxing.  “Haru.”

            Haru nodded back.  They’d talk soon, Sousuke would stress quietly, but right now – “You’re a damn suicidal bastard, Rin.”  And he punched him in the arm just to prove his point.

            “Ow, Haru come on.  I’m injured.”

            “I’m going to kill you.”

            “That’s –“

            “Haru.”  Makoto stepped between them before Haru could punch Rin or strangle him for getting shot _again_.  The medic placed a gentle hand on Haru’s shoulder, calming him almost instantly.  Makoto could always read him.  “I need to pull the bullet out and give him some painkillers.  Would you two mind…?”

            He huffed and heard Sousuke grumble in assent.  “Fine.”  Haru turned to Rin.  “We’re going to have a talk after you wake up.”  Rin almost rolled his eyes as Haru turned and stalked out, ducking under Sousuke’s arm as he held up the tent flap for them.

            The two of them walked a little ways away from the tent.  Far enough that Rin’s muffled cries of pain wouldn’t be heard, but close enough that if anything went wrong they would be back to help.  Haru sank down on a mostly frozen log, followed soon by Sousuke. 

            He leaned subtly into the other soldier.  Moments like this, after the adrenaline had worn off and he was left with nothing but the shaking realization he’d barely avoided death, he needed a little physical reassurance he was alive.  They kept it as subtle as they could.  It wasn’t rare for soldiers to need to let off a little steam, but what happened in the dark was ignored and buried in the morning.

            For everyone else.

            “Who was seen?”  Sousuke asked, his voice reverberating in Haru’s chest. 

            He closed his eyes, the sound of battle washing over him.  “Me.”

            There was a sharp inhale of breath from the other but nothing else.  Haru peeked one eye open, squinting up at the other.  Stress lined his face, almost permanent already, worry written in the clench of his jaw and the iced glaze of his eyes.  And something else.

            Haru sat up straight, turning and getting a good look at Sousuke.  He’d been so focused on Rin, he hadn’t even been paying attention.  Feeling his gaze, Sousuke glanced at him then away, just as fast.  “Don’t stare at me.”

            “Where did you get hurt?”  He demanded.  Sousuke kept pointedly staring straight ahead, towards the battle, dwindling already thanks to Rin and Haru’s well placed explosives.  “Sousuke,” Haru could be as stubborn as Rin when pushed.

            Sousuke sighed, like he was exhausted from Haru’s questions.  “It’s not that bad.”

            Bullshit.  He could tell from the wince, miniscule, the other gave as he breathed too deep.  It was bad.  Sousuke could be almost as much of an idiot as Rin sometimes.

            Haru stood up and yanked at Sousuke’s jacket, forcing it off one arm.  The other stayed fast, Sousuke gasping when Haru tried to pull it.  “Let me see.”

            “It’s not that bad.”  But he was paler, breathing shallower.

            Haru glared at him until Sousuke relented and loosened his death grip on the jacket.  Haru pulled it down gently, using his fingers to peel it down past Sousuke’s shoulders.

            His hand came away sticky.  Red.

            A muffled cry made its way over from the direction of the medical tent.  “You were shot.”

            “It’s not that bad.”  That seemed to be his motto.  Sousuke was clinging to the saying, eyes not focusing anymore.  Shit, it was really bad.

            Haru nudged Sousuke, trying to force him upright.  He didn’t budge.  “Come on,” he ground out, teeth clenched.  It was directed mostly at himself.  Sousuke was deteriorating quickly.  He considered shouting for Makoto, but a hitching of Sousuke’s breath as Haru accidentally nudged him too close to the wound took away his voice.

            Sousuke eventually gave in, pitching forward.  Haru caught him and thanked the gods for once that he’d been forced through their brutal military training and could support Sousuke.  He hoisted the other mostly upright, shifting him so his injured shoulder wasn’t being pulled.  The larger man’s breath hit his ear.  Shallow, too fast, but still very much there.

            Haru struggled his way back to the medical tent, wishing they’d stayed just a few steps closer.  He pushed through the flap, spotting the bloodied tweezers on the makeshift table and the bandage around Rin’s ankle.  The redhead was unconscious or hopped up on drugs.  Makoto looked up, sweat clear on his brow.  Whatever the medic was planning to say died on his lips as he rushed forward, catching Sousuke as Haru’s strength failed him.

            “What happened?”  There was none of the panic in Makoto’s voice that existed in Haru’s heart.  Professional and smooth as always, Makoto cleared off a gurney and rested Sousuke gingerly on it.

            “He was shot,” Haru stated simply, glancing at Rin.  He was pale, but he’d survive.  Stubborn bastard.  Should’ve run faster.

            Makoto nodded, already making swift work of Sousuke’s jacket and shirt, stripping him down so he could get to the wound.  “Get a blanket to cover him,” Makoto instructed, knowing better than to ask Haru to leave while he worked.

            Haru did as he asked, fetching items as Makoto called them out, staying out of the medic’s way as he worked.  He pulled the bullet from Sousuke’s shoulder, piece by piece.  Haru considered asking if it was always like this.  Why Rin had been conscious but Sousuke wasn’t.  Why there were so many pieces.  How many bullets had pierced him in the exact same spot, even though he knew that wasn’t possible.  Likely.  Wasn’t likely.

            Makoto was efficient, well trained.  They’d seen plenty of battle together, and Makoto had patched up more than his fair share of wounds.  Haru’s…Rin’s…and now Sousuke’s.  Sousuke had been immortal.

            Haru had been more concerned about what would happen when they returned to society.  Not if.

            Some vials were poured in the cleaned wound, needles stuck and painkillers injected around the site.  It was dressed, wrapped, covered, everything.  Sousuke’s clothes were replaced on his body, and he was covered by a blanket, but still he didn’t move.

            The sounds of battle outside waned.

            Makoto walked past Haru, placing his hand on the soldier’s head as he passed.  Haru hadn’t even noticed himself move, let alone sit down next to Sousuke.  “I’m going to check on the squad.”

            And then he was alone in the tent save for two unconscious bodies and his thoughts.  For a while he might’ve slept.  He might’ve been awake the whole time.  It didn’t seem to matter.  Haru was focused on the heavy hand in his own, too warm, too cold, and the pulse in the wrist just beneath it.  The beat evened out eventually, lulling him into darkness.  A dreamless peace.

            “Haru.”

            He woke in the middle of the night, the soft sound of his name stirring him.  He squinted around, eyes not adjusted to the darkness.  A ray of moonlight lit the tent dimly, and Haru was able to make out the empty bed where Rin had slept.  Good.

            Eventually his eyes made their way to Sousuke.  The soldier was awake, gazing steadily at him.  He couldn’t tell the color on Sousuke’s cheeks.  Were they as pale as before?  Tinged with the rare display of embarrassment?

            “Haru,” Sousuke repeated again, his voice catching on the last sound.

            His heart stuttered and Haru leaned forward, even as Sousuke drew himself up.  Haru pushed him back down, finding no resistance.  Still in pain then.

            He didn’t risk too much.  Just a small press of their lips together before he backed up, letting the other breathe.  Then he changed his mind and leaned in again, resting his forehead on Sousuke’s.  Cool.  Not too cold.  The tent helped.

            The fingers threaded between his pressed against his knuckles.  Haru closed his eyes and focused on their vitals.  Breathing.  Hearts beating.  “Haru, I –“ Sousuke cut himself off, swallowing.

            “I’m here,” Haru reassured.  Same as every time he or Rin endangered themselves.  Sousuke nodded against him, forehead rubbing against his own.  Haru squeezed the hand in his own.  “You’re here too.”

            “Not going anywhere.”  Even through the whisper, Sousuke’s voice broke out, gravelly.

            Haru smiled, invisible with neither of them looking.  “Promise?”

            Another nod.  “Promise.”


End file.
